life is what you make of it, it's not how the world views you but rather, how you view the world that makes life more interesting

Saturday, September 05, 2009

China schoolgirl aspires to be 'corrupt official'

BEIJING (AFP) – A six-year-old girl has become a media darling in China on her first day of school by expressing her aspiration to become a "corrupt official" when she grows up, state media said Friday.

The young student stated her aspirations in a televised interview that was posted on a southern China website, leading bloggers to describe her comments as "a reflection of social reality," the Southern Metropolis Daily reported.

"When I grow up I want to be an official," said the girl, whose face was blurred to protect her identity.

"What kind of official?" the interviewer asked.

"A corrupt official because corrupt officials have a lot of things," she replied.

Numerous other children appearing in the video were asked the same question, with many saying they wanted to become teachers, while others said they were not sure what they wanted to be when they grew up.

Many chatroom users praised the child for her "realistic" outlook on life, while others expressed cynicism over rampant corruption in China.

"Socialism has issued a new version of 'The Emperor's New Clothes'," said one posting.

"The ugliness of life has already tainted the children -- how are we ever going to educate the next generation?" another posting said.

Chinese President Hu Jintao has repeatedly warned that corruption is one of the greatest threats to the legitimacy of Communist Party rule.